The Ultimate Guide to Ammi Majus

Ammi Majus is absolutely gorgeous in borders- it is tall so looks good at the back of the borders and it is also a brilliant cut flower. It is a superb annual, that has cute dainty white flowers and fine green foliage. I sow these from late February and these can be sown all the way up to May.

Ammi Majus can be grown in Autumn for a head start or in the Spring for flowers in the Summer. It is an annual so you will need to sow Ammi Majus every year, although it does self sow easily.

We grow Ammi majus in well-drained soil in sun to partial shade, which means it isn't great for super shady gardens or borders.

I sow my Ammi Majus in trays but you can sow them in pots if that is all you have to hand. Plus have a look at my blog for how to get pots for free from kitchen items.

Growing Ammi Majus: 

 

1) Fill trays with good quality compost (ideally peat-free where you can)

2) Sow the seeds over the tray. Try and keep them spread out so they are easier to separate and pot on later on.

3) Lightly cover the seeds with compost. I simply pick some up with my hands and lightly cover them (it doesn't need to be complicated!)

4) Water, and place on a sunny windowsill, in a cold frame or greenhouse. Once they have germinated, if you have them on a sunny windowsill you will need to ensure it is in a cooler part of the house eg Porch, cold conservatory, a room with less heating. Ensure the seedlings have plenty of light.

5) Pot on into individual pots when they have put on their first true leaves

NB: We do not 'pinch' Ammi Majus. It doesn't branch in the same way Sweet Peas, Dahlias etc do!

6) I harden off Ammi Majus before planting out after the frosts have passed.

(Look up jargon blog post to find out more about what 'potting on' and 'harden off' mean)

7) Alternatively sow direct in late spring or early summer and thin out to 20-30cm as they grow.

8) Ensure you stake the Ammi Majus plants as they grow if you are in an exposed space.

Seeds sown in autumn and overwintered in a cold frame, will produce bigger plants which will flower earlier in the year than those sown in spring.

Sow: October-November or Late February-May

Flowering: June-September